Numbers

It is using a new language to move files between server and network, and between the program. The new language is known to be unsuitable for server based environments. ATX will require a massive over haul scratching everything that has been done. Basically, it is toast. CCH would be better off to simply terminate the program. Sad, but true. I likely ATX and the functionality, but this last go around has destroyed any chance of it being a viable software again.

My servers are 8 core, 64 Gig of ram, and there is 4 of them.... and ATX does not work.... this problem has nothing to do with hardware.

Ya, Intuit, right... as soon as they have client data they will start pushing turbo trash on your customer.

IT is a higher end set up needed when you have multiple folks, running higher end applications. Generally running a dedicated server, with Windows Server 20XX. And ATX does not work in that environment, and using what they have now, never will. It is nearing March 1, and it STILL does not work on what is a fairly routine set up. Small shops with peer to peer networks are managing to limp by, they will b next because after thousands of ATX customers have jumped ship, there will be even LESS revenue to under pay to few programmers The era of ATX is over. The only folks who do not know this are simply the next victims.

Switched to Drake on 1/30/13, and my 15 employees, CPA's, EA's and candidates, had to fight through transition.... But today we are up over same point last year in both money and returns, and producing 227% more returns a day than last year. There is still time to save your season, but it is fading fast. And in the spirit of full disclosure, I have absolutely no connection to any software other than being a current or ex-customer.

You will not be happy long, the problem, is not ,and never was ATX, its CCH. They have a structural problem of not developing software and rolling it out before it is ready. They have a MASSIVE ethics problem. ATX is not, and never was, the problem.

Drake cost less than ATX does if you buy it early season

I moved to Drake and am very happy. I will not use Intuit products, they will turn and use the money you pay to compete with you.

Not being smart.... I am assuming you have good reason... Other programs are good, yes there is a learning curve but if you and employees can not learn you likely would not be in this profession. Yes it is a headache, ever had a tax season without a head ache? If so you likely have not been in this profession long. Yes it is a process change, like EITC Due Diligence was not? We get process changes yearly. Yes, I switched, and am back on track, went from 40% down to 18% down now, and catching up fast. Regardless of software you consider switching to, there are MANY good options, why are you putting up with this crap? Its obvious CCH does not value our loyalty. And I WAS a 15 year ATX user, 10 professional staff who had to be trained last week and weekend, and no I am not pimping someone elses software. Just wondering why anyone would stick around after this.

Strange things happen. IRS pulled one of the guys in my tax group while he was waiting for back ground check on EA license. It was January, cost him about $200K in income. Never trust any one item system when a government is involved. A to separate software, it makes the set up easier, you can get one set up with one EFIN, the other with the other, and then set up two banks, one existing with ATX, one with DRAKE. Simply makes things safer when the world craps all over us. Like CCH did.

Jack Order Drake unlimited version. Do the conversion from ATX 11 to Drake 2011 (you get all prior releases with a current purchase of drake). Roll data forward. Pick your two or three most likely to cooperate employees. Pay them to watch Drake videos after hours. I know it is a load, but do it anyway. Give them a small bonus after completing 10 returns in Drake. Once those three are rolling, the others will see how much faster the three are. They will want it. Do you have more than one EFIN? You need to. Do you have ore than one bank? You need a minimum of two. Does your staff learn fast? I figure conversion for my 10 professional staff to cost about $4500, software cost included. I gave them the lecture "We gotta do this, it is not your fault, it is not mine, it just is. The blame game is the voice of victim's and losers, and we do not lose, we win, and we win, and we win. Winning is not the only thing, it is everything. People count on us, believe in us, they pay for what we do. Someone else screwed it, we have to adapt, it is why we get paid. Deal with this, grow with this, and prosper, or leave. We have a move up or out policy, each of you have a choice, and so do I. I hired winners, and you are, as long a you choose to be. Clients do not pay us to use ATX, they pay us to get a job done, we are going to do that, all who are willing to live up to that, we have a great life in front of us, those unwilling to do so should leave now and we will mail your lat check to you". It was far, far more than needed to make them switch, but it made them on fire to switch. They see the challenge and embraced it. We are truning out a lot of returns now. And results are all that matter.

The Drake conversion is good, couple small glitches that tech support fixed really fast for me. Took about 3 days to get my staff up to speed. My staff is really, really good, mostly all EA's and/or CPA's. Might make a difference, I am not sure what your staff looks like, but if they are knowledgeable professionals they should transition as easily as mine did. It took days, not weeks to transition.

Wrong answer... CCH has done this kind of thing over and over again. They fundamentally do not support their software to an adequate degree. P - finished over 300 returns since Saturday morning... which is when I installed DRAKE

Some remember years ago when CCH promised the world in an internet product, in November that year they were giving us 100% assurance they had a 100% ready to deploy internet product. Several I know and I bit off and lost out big. It was not just inaccurate info, it was a SCAM. Complete lie, we find out later what they were showing as a "live demo" was really a video. There was no product, no hope of a product, and the programming department KNEW it was never going to work as promised. After a meeting in Orlando (December 2012) trip I flew to CCH corporate offices in Atlanta with staff for training, it has now been shown that was as much a dog and pony show a the last time I was in their corporate office. Its not Taxwise, its not ATX, it's CCH. My tech guy is a programmer, writes software for all the industrial plants around here, owns a program writing company, etc, etc, etc. He dug deep into the software code and found they never beta tested the software in a server environment (Server 2008 or 2012). Gross negligence, massive sections of code missing. When you beta test software it leaves a trail in the program itself used to trouble shoot code. And it is why it is working on a Windows XP machine in other office acting like a server, but will not work in my main office. Its the permissions needed in a server environment causing files to lock up with only one user in the program. ATX was written around forms and access data bases, if you can use access on a server, you should be able to use ATX on a server. But this re-write is way different. When I question CCH on this they said "we were hoping to roll that out in a later update". Well, today's update still does not work. CCH simply does not devote the resources necessary to beta test their own software. Been this way for years. They cut their own programming department really deep. Obviously I am pissed off. And I am up, working, and turning out returns on Drake today. Drake has been very strong, Warren Drake helped me get the conversion package to work on a Saturday, while he was at home messing with his dogs (I could hear them in the background). Drake stepped up, so we are okay. I ordered Drake Friday night, and was turning out returns in 2 hours. AND It cost less than HALF what ATX does with my tax groups discount. Hell will freeze before I buy another CCH product, and I been buying for 15 years and was quite satisfied January 1. I open two offices, and buy extra licenses so employees can use it when off site. I just purchased the write up package. I will get a refund on all if it from Discover. Sorry for the rant, just needed to vent. Just sharing real life stories, we will live, and be stronger for it, but for folks using CCH anything, I would not be your friend if I sugarcoated it, and were the rolls reversed, I hope you would use as strong a tone. No need to spread misery. On the plus side, several near retirement age tax pros in the area use ATX. None of them have the relationships we do, and the back up I got from a peer group. They are getting crushed. Looks like a silver lining might be in all this after all. I am in a mode to buy firms, those in a mode to sell them, well, they just took a giant hit to their personal asset list. Hate me for saying it, it just is what it is. This is the loss suffered when dealing with liars.

The problem is CCH